# dossier

/ˌdɔsˈjeɪ/ (US) · /dˈɒsɪˌeɪ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dossier
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

a collection of papers or digital files that contains detailed information about a specific person, event, or subject.

For teachers: a collection of documents about a particular person, event, or subject. Often implies a comprehensive or secretive gathering of intelligence.

## Examples

- The police compiled a dossier on the suspect.
- The investigative journalist spent months building a dossier that detailed the company's history of environmental violations.
- The intelligence agency released a heavily redacted dossier concerning the diplomatic incident, though many critical details remained classified to protect ongoing operations.

## Usage notes

- Commonly paired with the preposition 'on' to indicate the subject of the documents.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.